Yearning
by Maltrazz
Summary: When Ranma accidentally shatters a fortune teller's prized crystal ball, the old woman curses him with visions of the future. Most scoff at such being a curse. It is not until Ranma realizes how happy 'her' future self is that she truly appreciates the sinister nature of the curse. Ranma despairs at the understanding that he is seeing a happiness he can never have... but can she?
1. Ch 1: Tale as old as time

**Yearning**

 **AN:** Well, would you look at that! A new story! Just an idea that popped into my head after re-reading 'Happily Married' by Kirinin.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

Ryoga stared down into the eyes of his rival's shorter cursed form. "When we met in middle school you were the first person to ever beat me in a physical contest. Fighting was almost all I knew, yet I could never best you back then. My pride demanded I challenge you, yet at the same time, you were the first person I ever truly respected. Despite the fact that I was always trying to pick a fight with you, you still were willing to help me get home every day. I was always stronger than other people my age, and most of the kids at school seemed afraid of me. Yet, you never cared about that. you really were my closest friend. Heh, you know, if you had been born a girl, I might have asked you for a date, rather than a fight."

Ranma simply stared at him in shock at that revelation, unable to come up with a response.

Ryoga was far from finished, however. "When you left, it wasn't revenge that motivated me at first. That desire only came later, after I got cursed. You were the only person I looked up to, and it felt like you had abandoned me. It was bad enough that I never knew if I would see my parents again whenever they left home; I wasn't about to lose my best friend the same way. So, I tried to catch up to you. I didn't have any overall plan behind my actions, or even any idea what I would say if I did manage to find you. All I knew is that I wanted to fight you again, to talk to you again, just to see you again. You were all I could think about. I knew I was obsessed, but I didn't care."

Ranma had never heard Ryoga go on like this, and couldn't bring herself to interrupt.

Ryoga sighed, before he continued. "Despite my determination, everything seemed to go wrong. I grew bitter, and with every misfortune, I began to think, 'This never would have happened if I never met Ranma!' I grew angry that you left me behind. Getting cursed was the final straw. I convinced myself that I only chased after you for revenge, and focused solely on traveling and training."

'Why is he telling me this?' Ranma thought.

As if reading her mind, Ryoga went on. "Even then, it was all about you, Ranma. Day and night, for the years I tried to find you, you were always on my mind. When I finally found you, I almost wasn't sure what to do. So I fell back on what we both knew; fighting. But then we broke that water fountain, and you transformed. Seeing that you had a Jusenkyo curse also, and yet such a beautiful one... It that moment when I first saw you in this form, I wasn't sure if I wanted to kill you, or kiss you. But you hadn't even remembered me. It was that more than anything that enraged me. After that... Hell, you were there for most of it."

"Ryoga, what are you-" Ranma started, only to be interrupted by-

* * *

-almost falling as the vision interrupted his kata and almost made him lose his balance. Staggering to one wall of the dojo, Ranma slumped against it as he tried to sort through what he had just experienced. Meanwhile, a part of his mind wandered back to the events that caused this new curse.

A week ago, an argument between himself and Akane had escalated, as it was wont to do. Ranma did not remember the details, but it had led to him being chased across the ward by Akane, Ukyo, and Shampoo. While trying to escape their pursuit, Ranma had gotten distracted and plunged through the roof of a fortune teller's tent. Normally, Ranma would have hidden there until his pursuers had passed, but the inhabitant of the tent took issue with that.

"My crystal ball!" The old woman had shrieked, staring at the shattered orb Ranma had accidentally knocked off a table. Turning to the martial artist, she intoned, "May you suffer the visions you have stolen from me!" Ranma had not thought much of her words at the time, more concerned with getting away from the shrieking hag.

"It's not like I did it on purpose," Ranma grumbled, as he headed out of the dojo toward the house.

For a couple of days after it happened, Ranma forgot about the incident... and then the first vision had hit him. It came when he was dozing during class, so at first he thought it was just a dream. It had just been about him fighting someone oddly familiar. It was not until his foe used the Breaking Point technique that he realized it was an older version of Ryoga.

Since then, the visions had come and gone erratically. There was no pattern to them as far as Ranma could tell, and he certainly had no control over them. Some seemed to be part of Ranma's distant future, while others seemed like they could happen tomorrow. Most were barely long enough for Ranma to realize what was happening, which got him thinking.

"That might've been the longest one yet," Ranma muttered to himself as he entered the back door of the Tendo house.

"Got hit by the new 'curse' again, Saotome?" Nabiki asked from where she sat, waiting to eat her breakfast.

"Yeah, it interrupted my morning practice," Ranma replied. "It ain't as bad a a Jusenkyo curse, but it can still be annoying."

"It could also be useful, if you pay attention," Nabiki countered. "So, what was this one about?"

"Why should I tell ya?" Ranma asked, suspicious of the mercenary-minded girl.

"I'll take ¥1,000 off your debt to me," Nabiki replied. She was convinced that it was only a matter of time before Ranma saw something in one of these new visions that she could make a fortune off of.

"Make it ¥5,000," Ranma said. He was not that worried about Nabiki finding out about something that might not even happen, but he was not about to pass up an opportunity to get further out from under her thumb.

"¥2,500 or no deal," Nabiki shot back, drawing the line.

"Fine," Ranma acquiesced. "It was just Ryoga talking ta me about chasing me ta China and back."

"How is that anything new?" Nabiki asked. "Isn't he always going on about how you 'made his life Hell' because of that?"

"Yeah, but this was in way more detail," Ranma explained. "He even admitted he was obsessed. Ryoga's usually too busy blaming me for stuff ta admit something like that."

"Interesting..." Nabiki said, her mind already considering if there was any way to profit from this information.

As Kasumi brought out the food, Ranma asked, "Where's Akane? Ain't she gonna be late for school if she doesn't get down here soon?"

"Ranma, did you forget?" Kasumi asked in her usual gentle tone. "It's Sunday, so there's no need to make her get up so early."

"Oh. I guess this stuff with my head made me lose track of the day," Ranma replied. "Ah well, just means I've got more time ta practice today." With that said, Ranma ate his breakfast with his usual gusto, before heading back out toward the dojo.

As he walked, Ranma thought about Nabiki's earlier comment concerning his new 'curse'. "Useful, huh?" He muttered to himself. "I suppose if Ryoga can say that much ta me with yelling 'Prepare to die!' then maybe there's a chance we could be actual friends some day..."

However, as if summoned by Ranma's thoughts about the previous vision, he felt-

* * *

-Ryoga grabbing her by the shoulders, staring into her eyes and declaring, "What I'm trying to say is this. I love you, Ranma, and it's something that's been growing for years, not just the past day. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that the magic is altering my memory, that you hate me for saying it and never want to see me again, tell me something to refuse me, because if you don't say something soon..."

Ranma gave a sharp intake of breath as Ryoga's hands slipped from her shoulders to her back, pressing her athletic body against his more muscular form.

"...I won't give you another chance." Ryoga finished, as he brought his face down to hers, clearly moving in for a kiss.

Ranma brought her hands up to his chest, intending to push him away, thinking, 'He's still under the effects of the Love Pill. I don't want him to kiss me because of that!' Then it hit her. She did not want him to kiss her because of magic... did that mean she wanted it to actually be him? The hesitation gave Ryoga the opportunity to close the distance, however.

And then his lips were on hers as-

* * *

-the water of the koi pond closed around him, trigger his original curse and turning Ranma into the form he _really_ did not want to be in right now. Sitting up with a gasp, Ranma realized the vision had come as he was passing the pond, causing him to fall in.

Scowling as she stood up and hopped out, the redhead stomped toward the dojo to satisfy her sudden urge to punch something. However, she couldn't escape what she had just seen. "Guess this is what makes it a curse," Ranma grumbled. "There's no way I'd ever really feel like that! I had ta have been under some kind of magic or..."

Suddenly, Ranma brightened up as she recalled a detail she had almost overlooked in her anger. "Of course! The future me thought something about those Amazon Love Pills! If I can just make sure Ryoga doesn't get anywhere near them, then that vision can never happen! 'Course, that means I've actually got ta find him first."

With that, Ranma took to the rooftops, determined to stop a future that had been forced upon her.

* * *

 **AN:** There we go! Like it? Hate it? Let me know if you want more!


	2. Ch 2: True as it can be

**Yearning**

 **AN:** Well, here we go! I honestly didn't expect this to be so popular. All the positive reviews were quite inspiring, and me being inspired means new chapters for you!

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

The afternoon sun saw Ranma leaping from rooftop to rooftop, scanning the streets below for the trademark yellow and black bandanna of the only person she honestly considered a worthy rival.

"Figures, the one time I'm actually trying ta find the pig, he's nowhere ta be found," Ranma grumbled after hours of fruitless searching. "If I were a directionally challenged battering ram, where would I end up?" Ranma was considering trying to find a likely place to wait for him, when the redhead-

* * *

-heared Akane's voice ring out, "Can't you guys keep it down, or at least spar further away? You woke her up again." As she spoke, she rocked a still teary infant in her arms.

"Sorry, guess we got carried away again," Ryoga apologized as he eased out of his combat stance.

"Do you two always have to fight so much?" Akane asked. "You're setting a terrible example for Yoiko, you know?"

"Oh, come on, Akane. We all know she's gonna grow up to be a martial artist," Ranma replied, relaxing as well. Nudging Ryoga with one elbow, she added, "Besides, with this lug for a pop, there's no way she won't be the toughest girl around."

"I don't know," Ryoga said innocently. "Maybe she'll take more after her mother..."

"Are you suggesting her mom's not as tough as you?" Ranma asked, as if daring him to say it out loud.

"Please, Ranma, if we're talking sheer durability, I doubt a freight train is as tough as Ryoga," Akane said, rolling her eyes. Before more could be said, the babe in her arms began reaching out towards the redhead. "Looks like she wants you to hold her for a bit."

Taking the infant into her arms, Ranma grinned down at her, saying, "I see how it is. You get tired of Akane and pick me over your daddy. Looks like she got her mom's brain, 'cause she sure learns faster than you, P-chan."

"Oh, you think you're being cute," Ryoga shot back with a glare.

"Bitch, I'm adorable!" Ranma replied with a smirk. A moment later, the three adults burst into laughter, as if sharing an old joke, before-

* * *

-Ranma realized there was no more rooftop under her feet. For once she didn't have time to analyze the vision right away, as she struck the ground, completely unprepared to brace herself...

...

When Ranma came to after her crash, it was to the sensation of something warm and wet running across her face. Blinking her eyes open, she found herself face-to-muzzle with a black and white dog, who was looking at her with as much concern as a canine could muster.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake," Ranma grumbled as she sat up on the... couch she was laying on?

Looking around, Ranma found herself in a vaguely familiar house. In fact, the dog was awfully familiar, too. After a moment, it clicked into place. "Checkers?" Ranma asked, to which the dog gave a happy bark at the recognition. "Did you drag me inside by yourself, girl?" Ranma asked, knowing this dog was smarter than most, if only to make up for her master's absentmindedness.

Ranma's question was answered when the voice of the master in question rang out from a nearby room at the sound of the bark. "Checkers, quiet down. I'll be back in a minute."

'Heh, guess he was around after all,' Ranma thought with a grin, only to wince as her head gave a sudden throb. Rubbing the spot where she had impacted the ground, started to get up to go find him, when she remembered the vision that had distracted her enough to fall. Judging from the appearance of Ryoga and Akane, they looked to be in their early twenties, so it was at least a few years off. However, that only worried the redhead more. After all, that meant longer until she knew if she succeeded in changing it, and that was one vision she definitely could not let happen.

'If they have a kid, that must mean they're married,' Ranma thought with a scowl. 'There ain't no way in Hell I'm letting that happen! And why the Hell was I acting so friendly with them if it did happen? That vision made no sense!'

Ranma was distracted from her confusion by one of the targets of her ire, as Ryoga walked into the room. For a moment he look relieved at actually having gotten to the right place, before his gaze fell on Ranma and twisted into his customary scowl. "You know, Saotome, part of me was hoping you wouldn't wake up. Certainly would have made my life easier," he said as he approached her.

"Then why did ya bring me inside instead of just burying me where I landed?" Ranma asked. After the Koi Rod incident, Ranma knew Ryoga would not actually try to kill her, or at least not in anything short of a fair fight. Still, she did not like dwelling on those events for many obvious reasons.

"I considered it, or at least leaving you there, but I didn't want you getting sick and using that as an excuse not to fight me," Ryoga replied.

"Please, like I'd let a little cold stop me from kicking your ass," Ranma said, her mood improving with their usual taunting banter and her headache starting to fade.

"Whatever, Saotome. How did you end up unconscious in my front yard, anyway?" The Lost Boy asked.

'Wait, I landed in his yard? How did I make it all the way ta his house without realizing it? I hope his sense of direction ain't contagious,' Ranma thought to herself, before saying out loud, "I was looking for ya, actually. The thing is..." Ranma went on to explain about the old seer and the visions, although she did not share the details of what she had seen yet, especially not the latest one.

Ryoga listened with a frown. He had been exposed to about as much magic as Ranma had, so he was not about to dismiss something like this out of hand. "So, what? You can see the future now? Are you sure these visions are even true? And what have they got to do with me, anyway?" Ryoga asked, once Ranma was finished.

"I dunno if they're real," Ranma said, "but the way I figure it, I can at least try ta make sure the bad ones don't happen. As for you, do ya remember the Amazon Love Pills?"

"Yeah, but aren't all three of them gone?" Ryoga asked in confusion.

"Only two of them," Ranma said. "I swallowed the Instant Pill, and the Lifetime Pill got swallowed by an octopus. Cologne might still have the Day Pill, and who's to say there aren't more of them out there?"

Ryoga thought about it, and remembered the time he bought the Koi rod; there had been a whole bin of similar rods available for sale. Shuddering at the thought of what such magic could do in the wrong hands, he said, "Okay, I can see how that could be a problem. I take it ya need my help keeping an eye out for them?"

"Nah, it's worse than that," Ranma explained. "In the vision I had, _you_ had swallowed one. And what's worse, my cursed form was the first 'girl' ya saw."

Ryoga's face paled, as his expression morphed into one of horror. It was pretty much the reaction Ranma expected, but she still had to quash a slight feeling of irritation that he found her cursed form that unappealing. Ranma knew full well how good she looked as a girl, however, her pride in that was not enough to make her second guess her male viewpoint on the matter at hand.

"So, until we find that pill you're supposed ta swallow, I ain't letting you out of my sight," Ranma went on.

"Wait, you need to get _away_ from me, Saotome," Ryoga said, as he got over his shock. "If you're around, that'll only make it even more likely that you're the first girl I see when I swallow it!"

"Idiot, the whole point is ta make sure you _don't_ swallow it," Ranma shot back. "Besides, what happens if you swallow it and then see some regular girl? If ya tried ta hug some normal girl, you'd snap her spine like a twig."

"You don't know that!" Ryoga snapped, burying his growing depression under anger. Desperate to change the topic, he demanded, "Besides, if you saw a vision of me swallowing this pill, shouldn't you already know when and where it will show up?"

"Er, well, I didn't exactly see ya swallow it, just the aftermath," Ranma admitted.

"If that's the case, how do you even know it will happen any time soon?" Ryoga asked.

Fortunately for Ranma, she did have an answer for that one. "'Cause, I've seen us when we're older, and ya looked different. In the vision where I learned about the Love Pills, ya looked like ya are now, so it can't be too far in the future."

"In that case, shouldn't we talk to Cologne first?" Ryoga suggested. "You did say she still had one, so we should talk to her first thing in the morning."

"Yeah, that's- wait, morning?" Ranma pulled up short and glanced out the window, only to see the sun had almost finished setting. "Dammit, how long was I out?"

"Well, it's been at least a few hours," Ryoga answered. "I was just cleaning up from dinner when I heard Checkers barking."

"Great, Kasumi has probably put dinner away by now, too," Ranma grumbled. "Say, Ryoga ol' buddy, I don't suppose you have any leftovers, eh?"

Ryoga glared at the redhead for a moment, before heaving a sigh, "I suppose you may as well have some, since it will probably go bad before I get back. But I don't want to hear any complaints about it not being as good as Kasumi's cooking, got it?" With that, he began to stomp off towards the kitchen.

...Only for Ranma to grab him before he could leave the house, and lead him on the actual way to the kitchen. "So, what'd ya make?"

"It's just some sandwiches made with canned tuna," Ryoga said, as he pulled a plate with a few sandwiches from the refrigerator. "My family doesn't keep much fresh food in the house, since it goes bad so quickly. Mostly it's just canned and dried stuff. Still, I had bought some bread recently, so I made a few of these."

Ranma immediately grabbed a sandwich in each hand, and began eating like she had not had anything in days. "Mmmf, not bad," Ranma said, after finishing the first one off.

"Hm, may as well have another myself, since they're out," Ryoga said. However, as soon as he bit into the sandwich, he winced before swallowing reflexively and doubling over into a fit of coughs.

Reaching over to the sink, Ranma quickly filled a glass of water and handed it over to her rival. "Geez, and people say I eat too fast."

Ryoga downed the water to clear his throat, before saying, "I bit down on something hard in the tuna, like a rock, only... smoother..." The lost boy trailed off as his eyes locked with Ranma's, just staring at her for a moment.

Waving her hand in front of his face, Ranma called out, "Earth ta P-chan! Ya sure you're okay?"

Blinking rapidly, Ryoga shook his head and said, "Actually, my head feels kind of funny. I think I'm going to go to sleep early."

"Well, I better get ya ta you're room. Wouldn't want ya getting lost before we can talk ta Cologne tomorrow," Ranma said, and began to lead him through his own house. Ranma would never admit it, but she was feeling a bit guilty and hoped he was not going to be sick.

After all, Ryoga would not have eaten another sandwich tonight if Ranma had not come looking for him.

* * *

 **AN:** There we go! I'm sure most of you can guess what just happened. For the rest, look forward to next chapter!


	3. Ch 3: Barely even friends

**Yearning**

 **AN:** Wow, did not expect my motivation for this to keep as strong as it has. However, between some awesome reviews and starting to re-watch the anime, my motivation has stayed strong enough to get you all another chapter.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

When Ranma woke up, it took her a moment to remember where she was. She had been woken up by a splash of cold water like she often was, but she definitely was not in the Tendo's guest room.

"Were you planning to sleep all day, Saotome?" Ryoga asked with a smirk, as he balanced the now empty bucket he had on one of his fingers.

As the events of the previous day came back to her, Ranma scowled at him and said, "Well, looks like one of us is feeling better, at least." Without a second thought, she pulled off her soaked shirt and began to wring it out. when she did not hear any rebuttal, Ranma glanced over to see Ryoga looking away with a blush on his face. Rolling her eyes, the redhead added, "Geez, it's just me, ya pig. Usually ya ain't that easy unless I've got some disguise on..."

"Y-Yeah, well..." Ryoga stuttered, before hurrying out of the room. "I, uh, I'm going to go get breakfast ready!"

"Huh. He's acting weirder than usual," Ranma muttered to herself. She pulled her still damp shirt back on just as something occurred to her. Rushing outside, she caught up with Ryoga just before he reached the street. "Where'd ya think ya were getting breakfast, Okinawa?"

Blinking in surprise as he realized he had left his house, the Lost Boy blushed as he turned to her, suggesting, "Maybe, we should just get breakfast at the Nekohanten?"

Rolling her eyes again, Ranma said, "Yeah, that's probably the only way ta keep ya from taking a detour ta Hokkaido before we talk ta Cologne." With that, she grabbed his hand and started dragging him down the street, not noticing the goofy grin on his face as she-

* * *

-stared into his deep brown eyes. He chuckled nervously, as they danced to the music, saying, "I can feel them staring at us. It's a bit..."

"Let them stare," Ranma replied with a grin. "They're just jealous 'cause we're the hottest guy and girl in the room!"

"Did you just admit that I'm the 'hottest guy in the room'?" Ryoga asked in amusement.

"Only 'cause _I'm_ a girl right now. A splash of hot water and you'd be in second place," Ranma shot back, rolling her eyes, before-

* * *

-a bicycle wheel collided with her head, snapping her out of the vision as she heard Shampoo's voice say, "Nihao, Ranma! You come for too, too delicious ramen? Shampoo just come back from early morning order. Make bowl just for you when get back inside!"

As Ranma extricated herself, she opened her mouth to replied, but Ryoga was quicker for once, saying "Watch where you're going, Shampoo! Besides, we came to talk to Cologne, not you!"

Hopping back to her feet, Ranma said, "Calm down, Bacon Breath. Besides, compared ta your punches, that was nothing." Licking her lips she added, "Besides, nothing wrong with some free ramen while we wait for the old ghoul!"

As the trio headed inside the restaurant, Shampoo latched on to Ranma's arm, while Ryoga glared at the amazon. Ranma glanced at her rival and asked, "Ya okay, P-chan? You've been acting weird all morning."

Immediately, Ryoga's glare vanished. "Ah! No, I'm fine, Ranma," he said with an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

Rather than be reassured, however, Ranma was more sure than ever that something was wrong. 'He almost never calls me just "Ranma" unless it's followed by "prepare to die",' the redhead thought to herself. 'It's not like he never acts like this, but it's usually only around Akane...' As that thought occurred to her, Ranma went pale as she remembered Ryoga's description of the strange object he swallowed.

 _"I bit down on something hard in the tuna, like a rock, only... smoother..."_

"Like a pill... but there's no way that could have happened, right?" Ranma muttered to herself.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by Shampoo letting go of her arm and saying, "Airen and Lost Boy find table. Shampoo let Great-Grandmother know you here then bring too, too delicious ramen bowl." With that she hurried off to the kitchen.

Ranma did as suggested, but as Ryoga sat across from her, a dreamy expression on his face, Ranma could not help but be reminded of similar expressions he had worn when on 'dates' with Akane. 'Dammit! Is the real curse that I'm only gonna see things I can't avoid? There's no way that's true, is it? ...No. I ain't gonna stand by and let some stupid vision tell me how my life's gonna go!' Ranma thought, burying her worry behind a wall of self-righteous anger.

"My, my, quite the dour expression this morning, Son-in-Law," Cologne said, startling the redhead out of her thoughts once more. "I don't suppose you've come to tell me you decided to marry my grandaughter and join the tribe, have you?"

"There's no way Ranma would do that!" Ryoga declared, glaring at the old woman, before glancing across the table and adding nervously, "Er, you wouldn't, right, Ranma?"

Ranma buried her face in her hands and groaned, as that outburst all but confirmed her fears. Raising an eyebrow questioningly, Cologne turned to the redhead and asked, "Looking for a cure to some love potion gone awry, I take it?"

"Something like that," Ranma admitted. "I think this idiot swallowed one of those Amazon Love Pills that showed up a while back."

"I did?" Ryoga asked in confusion.

"That seems unlikely," Cologne said to Ranma, ignoring the Lost Boy for the moment. "As you are well aware, two of the pills were used during that incident, and the recipe to make more is back in my village. Even I do not have it memorized, and I certainly don't have a copy lying around."

"What about the one that wasn't used?" Ranma asked. "Ya still got it, right? Could Mousse or somebody have swiped it when ya weren't looking?"

"Actually, I decided that the Day Pill would have little use on its own, and was too much trouble to keep around after the other two were use," Cologne explained. "So, I threw it in the ocean with the Lifetime pill. So, unless a fish swallowed it, got caught, and then this boy ate that fish, it is quite unlikely, like I said."

The sound of Ranma's face hitting the table echoed throughout the mostly empty restaurant, as the redhead heard those words.

"Well, at least it'll only last a day," Ranma grumbled as she sat up once more.

"If you don't mind, son-in-law, I'd like to know exactly how this happened. I'm surprised you would even think of the pills," Cologne said with a frown. Ranma went on to explain about the seer, the visions, and the events of the previous night, as it gave her an excuse not to focus on the guy staring at her the entire time. Once the redhead had finished, Cologne said, "I have heard of the Seer's Curse before. Usually it is a death curse cast upon those that would kill one who can see the future. For one who was still living to cast it upon you, either they must have been incredibly powerful, or else the artifact you destroyed was."

"Is there any cure?" Ranma asked.

"The only way to stop the visions is to be pardoned by the one who cast the curse," Cologne explained. "So, usually not, at least not without a seance. However, if the seer that cursed you still lives, then it may be possible." Glancing at Ryoga, she gave a mischievous grin and added, "But I think that is a concern for another day. Based on what you told me, the pill should wear off around sunset. So, I expect that you will have a busy day ahead of you, Son-in Law."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Ranma groaned, as the old woman leapt atop her staff, cackling as she bounced away.

When the old woman reached the kitchen, Cologne turned to the eavesdropping Shampoo and said, "If you don't take that ramen out soon, child, it will go cold."

"Is Great-Grandmother really no stop Lost Boy from loving Airen?" Shampoo asked with a frown.

"Even if I wanted to, the recipe for the antidote is back home in China," the Elder Amazon replied. "Besides you know how Son-in-Law reacts to advances from men. Today will be an embarrassment, but tomorrow everything will be back to normal, although the Hibiki boy may be a bit more bruised if he tries something."

Shampoo relaxed as she heard those reassuring words. Heading over to the table with a slightly cooled bowl of ramen, she smiled and said, "Sorry for wait! Hope Airen enjoy!"

"Thanks, Shampoo!" Ranma said, immediately pulled from her bad mood by the smell of good food.

Shampoo pulled out a chair to sit down next to Ranma, but before she could follow through, a new group of customers walked in. Suppressing a sigh of frustration, she smiled at the redhead and said, "Shampoo have go work now, but Airen date Shampoo later, yes?"

Ranma hesitated as Shampoo hurried over to the new customers, expecting another outburst from Ryoga. However, when none came, she turned toward him, looking at the Lost Boy for the first time since she had started explaining things to Cologne. Rather than angry, though, her rival only looked depressed.

"It's only because of a magic pill, huh?" Ryoga mumbled, completely oblivious of his surroundings. "That's really the only reason I feel this way when I seen your adorable figure?"

Ranma's eyes widened as his words triggered a memory she had not thought about in a long time.

 _"That... you call a curse? Whining about your misery... with such an adorable figure!"_

'He... he said I was 'adorable' the first time he saw me in this form, too,' Ranma thought to herself, as her face heated up in embarrassment. Scowling across the table, Ranma said, "Why do ya gotta say stupid stuff like that, huh? Besides, you'll be back ta normal tonight, so why don't we just treat it like a cold and find ya some place ta sleep it off, what do ya say?"

"That makes sense. I mean, now that I think about it, I don't remember feeling quite like this before last night. But, the thought of just staying away from you until this feeling fades..." Ryoga trailed off and gripped the front of his shirt over his heart, as if the idea alone caused him physical pain.

Ranma rolled her eyes at the melodramatic gesture, but frowned as she said, "I suppose that _is_ kinda like running away, huh?"

"Ranma... if it really is only for one day... can I please spend it with you?" Ryoga pleaded. A moment later he blushed and hurried to add, "Not doing anything weird of course! We could see a movie, or walk in the park, or just spend the day sparring. Whatever you want!"

At first Ranma wanted to outright refuse. After all, she had no desire to let the vision of them kissing come true. Then, a thought occurred to her. 'I tried ta stop him from swallowing the pill, and that only made it happen, or at least sooner. Maybe if I go along with this instead of fighting it, then the kiss won't actually happen! Besides, the alternative is going ta school, and I've already missed the morning classes, anyway.' Out loud, Ranma said, "Ya know what? Sure, I could use a day ta relax. But if ya try anything funny, I'll kick your ass, got it?"

"Of course!" Ryoga said happily, her threat doing nothing to dampen his joy at her acceptance.

As the two left the restaurant, neither noticed a suspicious pair of eyes following them, nor a figure slipping out behind them to trail the pair...

* * *

 **AN:** There we go! Honestly, I am surprised more authors who write for the pair don't reference Ryoga's words when he first sees Ranma's cursed form. In the dubbed anime, he calls her 'beautiful', in the subbed version it is translated as a 'cute, huggable body', and in the manga he says she has an 'adorable form'. So, regardless of which version you draw on, it is great material. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised I didn't think to use it sooner myself!

What will happen between the pair before sundown? Who is following them? Find out in future chapters of 'Yearning'!


	4. Ch 4: Then somebody bends

**Yearning**

 **AN:** Here we go! I want to apologize in advance for the slightly short chapter, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

"Geez, that was terrible," Ranma said, tossing her empty popcorn bucket in the trash as she left the movie theatre.

"Sorry," Ryoga said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "I really thought it would be better."

"Me too, but real martial artists don't move anything like that!" Ranma complained, as she glared at the poster that had drawn their attention. "Aw, well, at least the popcorn was good."

When Ryoga had first suggested that they go watch a movie, Ranma was afraid the magic affecting him might make him try to drag her to some sappy romance. However, she had been pleasantly surprised when he had suggested a Chinese action movie, instead, and offered to pay for her snacks. After suffering through two hours of bad special effects and actors that obviously knew nothing about martial arts, though, Ranma was beginning to wonder if a romantic movie would have really been that bad.

"At least I wouldn't have gotten my hopes up for that," Ranma grumbled to herself. Glancing at Ryoga, she asked, "So, ya said ya were fine with some sparring, right? I'm in the mood for some _real_ martial arts after sitting through that!"

"Same here," Ryoga said with a grin. "I think I saw an empty lot we could use back that way! ...Or was it over there?"

Instinctively grabbing his arm before he could get lost, Ranma started to drag him along, saying, "It's over here, ya idiot." When he failed to respond to her taunt, the redhead looked back to see him staring at her hand on his arm, silently blushing. Grinning, Ranma decided to have some fun. Hooking her arm around his, Ranma slid up next to him, his arm now sandwiched between her own and the side of her chest. In a teasing tone, she asked, "Ya sure you'll be able ta fight me seriously, Lover Boy?"

Ryoga's response caught her off-guard, as he looked at Ranma with a serious expression. "Of course! I'd never insult you by holding back! Besides, we both know you've trained just as hard as I have."

"Uh, y-yeah, of course!" Ranma replied, trying to hide her own embarrassment as her teasing backfired. Quickly separating herself from him, Ranma was relieved to see the empty lot in view. "Looks like we're here! Let's get started already!"

Getting into their usual stances, Ranma was glad for the return to normality, for however long it lasted. Seeing Ryoga charge forward for the first blow, Ranma smirked as she prepared to dodge. Just as-

* * *

-Ranma entered the room to see Ryoga and Akane sharing a laugh over something she had missed. Approaching the pair, she said wryly, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say ya were trying ta make me jealous."

Akane rolled her eyes as she said, "Come on, Ranma. You know Ryoga and I are just friends. That hasn't changed since high school. I swear, even as a woman, you are more competitive than most guys I know."

"Of course I am, but..." Ranma trailed off as she approached Ryoga. Leaning over where he sat, the redhead jabbed a fingertip against his muscular chest and continued, "Keep this up and I might have to 'remind' you why I was picked."

Ryoga leaned back with a smirk and asked, "Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Ranma said with a smirk of her own as she-

* * *

-woke up with a headache for the second time in as many days. Attempting to ignore the pain, she tried to focus on her surroundings to get her bearings. She was in a tent, laying in a sleeping bag that smelled oddly familiar. Thinking about what had put her in this situation, Ranma scowled and muttered, "That damn vision interrupted our fight! Maybe that's why it's called a curse..."

Laying back for a moment, Ranma considered this newest vision, in contrast to the one that she had the night before. 'What did I mean about me being picked?' Ranma thought. 'Does this mean I was able ta change things enough for Akane ta pick me? Or are both visions just possibilities? Gah, how the Hell am I supposed ta figure out how this works!?'

Heaving a sigh, Ranma was once more hit by the smell of the sleeping bag. The pungent odor was hardly pleasant, but the smell of old sweat and unwashed cloth reminded her of the training trip with Genma. Maybe not a better time, necessarily, but certainly a simpler one. However, there was another smell mixed in, a more animalistic smell.

"Like a pig," Ranma muttered, as she realized that the sleeping bag and tent must belong to Ryoga. "In fact, now that I think about it, I'm sure that I've seen his tent from this angle before, but when?"

 _"Goodness, dear. I didn't know that we were this far in our relationship yet!"_

In an instant, Ranma's face was the same color as her hair. Most of the events that occurred while she was under the effects of the Koi Rod were fuzzy in her memories, but others were far clearer that Ranma would have liked. Sitting up, Ranma let out a sigh of relief to find all her clothes still in place. Burying her embarrassment under anger, the redhead scowled and muttered, "At least the pig didn't try anything this time..."

Immediately, Ranma felt a twinge of guilt. As much as Ranma teased Ryoga, she knew that if someone like Kuno had been in his position, then she would have woken up in a situation that was much, much worse. The fact that he had enough time to set up his tent and sleeping bag while she was unconscious, and that he knew he was under the effects of a magic pill that he could blame any inappropriate behavior on, and yet he still had not tried anything untoward, was proof that he was a gentleman when it really mattered.

"I suppose if I _had_ ta have some guy pining after me, there are worse options than that big lug..." Ranma whispered to herself with a slight smile. Realizing she could hear voices outside the tent, Ranma poked her head out.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Hibiki. Ranma's been through much worse than that and shrugged it off. Hell, you've been responsible for a lot of it," Nabiki said in what passed for reassurance from the mercenary minded girl. She stood nearby with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Normally, sure, but there's something wrong with Ranma," Ryoga said. He sat on his travelling pack with his head in his hands. "She should have been able to dodge, or at least block, but it was like she spaced out for a second. Gah! Why didn't I notice something was wrong in time!? How could I hurt her like that!?"

"If ya had held back, then I'd have had ta beat _your_ ass unconscious, instead, so we'd still be in the same place," Ranma told him as she stepped out of the tent.

Ryoga surged to his feet and rushed up to the redhead. A moment later, Ranma found herself wrapped in an almost painfully tight embrace, as she heard her rival's voice whispering in her ear. "Thank goodness you're alright." Ranma stiffened, but before she could try anything, Ryoga's grip lessened, his hands resting on her shoulders as he stepped back. "Sorry, I'm just so glad to see you up so soon. I know I always _say_ I want to kill you, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I ever actually did!" Ryoga said, tears in the corners of his eyes.

Seeing the look of genuine relief and concern in Ryoga's eyes, Ranma felt her irritation at the hug disappear. "Geez, ya know I'm tough enough that ya would never manage that unless ya meant ta, so dry up the waterworks, would ya? 'Sides, if Akane saw this, she blame me for making ya cry," Ranma said as she crossed her arms and looked away, unable to bring herself to look him in the eye at the moment. To herself, Ranma thought, 'I knew the Pill would make him love me, but I wasn't expecting him ta act so... so... Gah! Why's this day got ta be so weird?'

A slight clicking sound drew Ranma's attention, and reminded the redhead of the girl standing nearby. Any blush brought on by her rival's actions vanished as she went pale at the sight of Nabiki watching the pair with a camera and a smirk.

"You know, when I went to sell Mousse some pictures this morning, I only expected to make some pocket change today, but let it never be said Nabiki Tendo passed up an opportunity that fell in her lap," Nabiki said happily.

"Look, Nabiki, this ain't-" Ranma started to protest.

"Don't worry, Saotome, I heard everything, so I know about the Love Pill," Nabiki interrupted. Just as Ranma let out a sigh of relief, Nabiki help up a photo and added, "Of course, I may forget to mention that part to people who see this..."

Ranma gaped as she saw a picture of herself clinging to Ryoga's arm, a smile on her face as the Lost Boy blushed. Most that knew Ranma would figure she was just teasing Ryoga or trying to get something from him, but the lack of any disguise could still be enough to cause Ranma trouble. 'After all, if that were any other pair, they'd look like a real couple...' Ranma thought, trying to ignore how strange that comparison made her feel.

"I'm sure you'll have a generous offer to make this picture go away, Saotome, but we can talk numbers later," Nabiki said as she turned to walk away. "I'm sure you'll want to 'enjoy' your last few hours with Ryoga _not_ trying to kill you."

Scowling at the retreating girl, Ranma turned toward her rival. Ryoga was still nearby, wringing his hands nervously as he looked in her direction. Realizing that she was looking at him, he stuttered out, "W-Well, Nabiki's right about sunset being only a few hours away. S-So, would you like to have d-d-dinner with me?"

Rolling her eyes at his nervousness, Ranma said, "Yeah, sure, I've come this far, haven't I? As long as you're paying for it, at least."

As the pair packed up and left the empty lot, Nabiki kept an eye on them from where she had hidden nearby. 'Now that they think I've gotten what I want and left, perhaps Ranma will let her guard down or Ryoga will try something. Either way, tonight could make me a fortune if I use the pictures correctly,' Nabiki thought, as she began to trail the pair.

Of course, what would happen would be beyond anything she ever would have expected.

* * *

 **AN:** There we go! Again, slightly shorter than usual, but the next chapter should more than make up for it, as the duration of the Love Pill comes to a close.

What will happen to Ranma and Ryoga before nightfall? Will Nabiki get the opportunity she predicts? Find out in future chapters of 'Yearning'!


	5. Ch 5: Unexpectedly

**Yearning**

 **AN:** Here we go! Sorry this chapter took so long, but hopefully the extra length makes it worth the wait!

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

The screech of twisting metal drowned out all other sound in the room. As Ryoga finished, he calmly handed the katana back to the dumbstruck Nodoka, before turning and leaving the room.

Following behind him, Ranma speaks up. "Not that I ain't happy that ya stopped Mom from trying ta make me commit Seppuku, but why did you tie the katana in a knot?"

Smirking, Ryoga replied, "Well, it's supposed to be the Saotome Honor Blade, right? I just figured that it should reflect your parents' honor: a binding tie, yet twisted beyond all repair."

The pair walked in silence for a moment, before Ranma spoke once more. "Ya didn't have ta get involved, ya know. It was a family thing."

"Family, huh?" Ryoga looked to his rival with a flicker of nervousness and hesitated a moment. Slowly, he pulled a small box out of his pocket before saying-

* * *

"Ranma? Are you okay, Ranma?"

Ranma blinked as she came out of the vision, taking a moment to recall where she was. Seeing Ryoga's concerned expression across the table and smelling the delicious food before her, Ranma quickly covered her lapse by saying, "Just surprised how good this place is. Hell, the only way they could probably improve would be by hiring Kasumi!"

"Heh, told you you would like this place!" Ryoga said, looking at her with a happy smile, before going back to his own food.

Ranma followed his lead. She had not been lying about the food, and the fact that he was paying for everything meant she could enjoy the meal without worry.

After their run-in with Nabiki, they had headed to a restaurant to get dinner. However, no sooner had they started eating, than Ranma was hit with another vision. 'I wonder what he was gonna say,' Ranma pondered. 'Not often somebody interrupts themselves.'

As they ate their meal, Ryoga said, "I wonder if Kasumi will get a job as a chef some day. Probably won't be until after her sisters graduate, of course."

"Nah, she's studying ta be a nurse," Ranma replied. "She's borrowing Tofu's books all the time ta study."

"Really? I thought that was just an excuse to go see him," Ryoga said. "I wonder if he'll ever work up the nerve to buy her a ring and make it official."

"Tell, me about it," Ranma said with a grin. "They way those two act around each other, it's obvious ta everyone else. If he didn't already help out so much for free, I'd expect Nabiki would play matchmaker just to get a discount by making him part of the family..." Ranma trailed off and her eyes went wide as she realized something.

'Ring... family... There's no way he would have...' Ranma thought about her last vision as, for the first time in a while, she found she had no appetite. Ranma knew she should be disgusted at the thought, but that feeling was numbed by a sense of shock as several of the previous visions took on a decidedly different light. 'That's impossible! There's no way Ryoga would pick me over Akane, unless there was magic involved,' Ranma tried to convince herself. 'And if there was magic responsible, we'd definitely find some way to undo it before... a kid...'

Noticing that Ryoga was looking at her in concern again, Ranma quickly stood up, declaring, "Toilet! I'll be right back!" With that, the redhead rushed off to get some time to think. After reaching the restroom, Ranma leaned against the sink, staring at her reflection.

"What the Hell are ya doing?" The redhead in mirror asked. "As nice as the free food and fun is, ya know it won't last. Even if Ryoga _wasn't_ being influenced by magic, mom and pop would go ballistic if they found out. Ya learned that in middle school, didn't ya?"

"Yeah, well, it ain't like I'm standing in the rain for three days, this time," Ranma muttered. Ranma knew there were few people in her life she could talk to, and even those few she could never share certain things with. As a result, Ranma had gotten in the habit of talking things out with a mirror when she needed to clear her head. After all, emotional conversations with others were not 'manly'. "I'm just indulging for a day while keeping him outta trouble. He did the same when the whole Koi Rod thing happened, so I'm just returning the favor, that's all. Besides, it wouldn't be an issue if these damn visions weren't showing me that... that..."

"That despite all odds, things work out?" The redhead asked rhetorically. "That you could get married, have a kid, and actually be _happy_?"

"I don't know that!" Ranma snapped at her reflection. "It was just a guess! Sure, things make sense that way, but... there's no way I could be happy living as some weak girl!"

"And who told you girls had to be weak? Your father? The same guy who thought the Nekoken and Jusenkyo were good ideas?"

"Pops is an idiot, sure but there's also mom ta think about. And even if everything else were perfect, Ryoga's my rival. He's the only person who even comes close ta understanding me, and the only person my age that I respect. I don't wanna lose that even if there were a chance of us becoming... more, some day," Ranma said. Turning to the sink, Ranma eyed the knob for hot water, before instead turning on the cold water and splashing her face. "Besides, as soon as the Love Pill wears off, he'll go back ta hating me, and it'll be business as usual, visions or no."

"I knew it was only a matter of time until those visions showed something valuable, but I never expected this."

"Heh, tell me about it, I-" Ranma started as she dried her face, before suddenly freezing as she realized that at some point, she had stopped talking to herself and started replying to someone else, instead. Spinning to face the door, she saw a familiar brunette leaning against its frame, arms crossed and an amused smirk on her face. "N-Nabiki!? I thought you went home! When did you..." Ranma paled as she realized just how bad this could be. "How... How long have you been there?"

"Long enough that I don't think you want me talking to your mother until we reach an agreement," Nabiki said. "So, I'm going to ask you some questions, and you're going to make the answers interesting enough that I don't think visiting Auntie Nodoka would be a better use of my time, got it?"

Ranma glared at the mercenary-minded girl, but said, "Fine, don't see I've got much of a choice."

"I'm glad you understand the situation," Nabiki said. "Now then, I think most of my questions have already been answered, but... what was that about middle school and standing in the rain for three days?"

Ranma hesitated, but knew she needed to do whatever it took to keep Nabiki quiet. "Well, it was actually only raining for one of the days. If the pig had actually shown up on time, then Pop wouldn't have overreacted."

Nabiki knew there was only one person Ranma called a 'pig', and the pieces started to fall into place. "You're talking about your duel with Ryoga," she stated more than asked. "I've never heard anything about your father 'overreacting', though."

"Well... I may have said some things ta give him the wrong idea," Ranma admitted, scratching the back of her neck in embarrassment.

"You putting your foot in your mouth? Shocking," Nabiki deadpanned.

"Well, its just that Ryoga was the only other kid in school that took martial arts seriously, and he was good at it, and his sense of direction made him pretty funny, and... I just wanted him ta pay attention ta me, but everything I tried ta do to make him notice me just made him mad," Ranma explained, before trying to brush it off in annoyance. "Look, it was just some stupid kid stuff, but pop said there was no way I'd wait three days just for a fight, like he didn't think I was taking martial arts that seriously."

Nabiki listened in confusion for a more, before everything finally clicked. "Wait, so you're saying the reason your dad rushed you off to China so suddenly was because he thought you had a crush on a guy? On Ryoga?"

"I never said that!" Ranma protested reflexively, before slumping against the sink. "But, yeah, I guess. He only really got serious about all the manliness stuff after that."

"That... actually makes a lot of sense," Nabiki muttered to herself. After a moment of thought, she said, "Alright, two more questions and I'll let you get back to your date, Saotome."

"It's not a-! Ugh, whatever, let's just get this over with," Ranma grumbled.

"First question, if your father reacted that badly back then, why didn't he say anything when Ryoga showed up here?" Nabiki asked.

Ranma shrugged at that. "No idea. Ya would have ta ask him about that. If I had ta guess, I figure he thinks it ain't an issue now that I know I've got a fiance."

"And that brings me to my last question," Nabiki said, schooling her face into a neutral expression. "Is it an issue?"

"What?" The redhead replied, eyes wide as she was caught completely off guard.

"Look, Saotome, it doesn't take a genius to see that even if something is _finally_ starting to grow between you and my sister, you two aren't happy together," Nabiki said, expression still unreadable. "So, if you did have a chance at happiness, would you take it?"

Ranma lowered her head for a moment, before saying, "It's a matter of family honor."

Nabiki chuckled at that, saying, "You say that like your parents haven't already left it twisted beyond all repair." Turning to leave, she said over her shoulder, "I'll keep quiet for now, Saotome, but I'm sure we'll speak more of this later. In the mean time, I'm sure your _date_ is starting to worry about you."

Unseen by the retreating girl, the redhead stiffened as Nabiki's words brought Ranma's most recent vision to mind. "...Beyond repair, huh?" Ranma muttered, before shaking her head. "Whatever. No point in worrying about it now, just gotta make it through today, and see what comes tomorrow." With renewed determination, Ranma headed back out to enjoy the restaurant's delicious food.

* * *

As the pair headed outside after their meal, Ranma noticed the sun nearing the horizon. Relief warred with a sense of disappointment. Although Ranma wanted Ryoga back to normal as soon as possible, part of her had to admit she had enjoyed the day together, aside from interrupting visions and Nabiki's meddling.

"It's almost over, huh?" Ryoga said, drawing her attention.

Ranma looked over her rival, who was also staring towards the setting sun. His expression was neither his typical anger or depression, nor the goofy smile of happiness that occasionally graced his features. Instead, Ryoga had a look of thoughtful seriousness Ranma rarely saw from him. A slight smile spread across Ranma's own face as she thought, 'If he could look this cool more often, perhaps he'd have better luck with girls.' Despite meaning it as a humorous observation, the thought left Ranma feeling slightly... perturbed.

Shaking such thoughts away, Ranma replied to him, "Yeah, in a few minutes, you'll be back ta normal and then we can forget today ever happened."

"What if... what if I don't want to forget?" Ryoga asked. "What if, even after the magic fades, I realize I prefer things this way?"

"Ya won't," Ranma said. "If anything, you'll probably get mad at me for 'taking advantage of ya'."

"I'm serious, Ranma," Ryoga snapped. "If today's showed me anything, it's that we can be more than just rivals!"

"Dammit, Ryoga! This isn't really you!" Ranma cried. "Whatever ya feel right now, it's just from that Amazon Love Pill you swallowed. Just wait a little longer, and it's magic'll run out. You'll see that it ain't real!"

"You keep saying that, Ranma, but is it true?" Ryoga said quietly. "If my feelings for you are just from that pill, than what about before I swallowed it?"

"Huh? What d'ya mean?" Ranma replied in confusion.

Ryoga stared down into the eyes of his rival's shorter cursed form. "When we met in middle school you were the first person to ever beat me in a physical contest. Fighting was almost all I knew, yet I could never best you back then. My pride demanded I challenge you, yet at the same time, you were the first person I ever truly respected. Despite the fact that I was always trying to pick a fight with you, you still were willing to help me get home every day. I was always stronger than other people my age, and most of the kids at school seemed afraid of me. Yet, you never cared about that. you really were my closest friend. Heh, you know, if you had been born a girl, I might have asked you for a date, rather than a fight."

Ranma simply stared at him in shock at the familiar situation. 'Wait, I saw this!' Ranma thought to herself. 'I thought it just meant we were becoming closer friends, but this...'

Ryoga was far from finished, however. "When you left, it wasn't revenge that motivated me at first. That desire only came later, after I got cursed. You were the only person I looked up to, and it felt like you had abandoned me. It was bad enough that I never knew if I would see my parents again whenever they left home; I wasn't about to lose my best friend the same way. So, I tried to catch up to you. I didn't have any overall plan behind my actions, or even any idea what I would say if I did manage to find you. All I knew is that I wanted to fight you again, to talk to you again, just to see you again. You were all I could think about. I knew I was obsessed, but I didn't care."

Ranma couldn't bring herself to interrupt. 'Should I stop him, or let this play out? It was a different vision from the k-kiss, so I may as well let him run out of steam.'

Ryoga sighed, before he continued. "Despite my determination, everything seemed to go wrong. I grew bitter, and with every misfortune, I began to think, 'This never would have happened if I never met Ranma!' I grew angry that you left me behind. Getting cursed was the final straw. I convinced myself that I only chased after you for revenge, and focused solely on traveling and training."

'Why is he telling me this now, though?' Ranma thought. 'The Love Pill has made him get more and more attracted to me over the last 24 hours, so why is he telling me why he hates me, now?'

As if reading her mind, Ryoga went on. "Even then, it was all about you, Ranma. Day and night, for the years I tried to find you, you were always on my mind. When I finally found you, I almost wasn't sure what to do. So I fell back on what we both knew; fighting. But then we broke that water fountain, and you transformed. Seeing that you had a Jusenkyo curse also, and yet such a beautiful one... It that moment when I first saw you in this form, I wasn't sure if I wanted to kill you, or kiss you. But you hadn't even remembered me. It was that more than anything that enraged me. After that... Hell, you were there for most of it."

"Ryoga, what are you-" Ranma started, only to be interrupted by Ryoga grabbing her by the shoulders.

Staring into her eyes, Ryoga declared, "What I'm trying to say is this. I love you, Ranma, and it's something that's been growing for years, not just the past day. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that the magic is altering my memory, that you hate me for saying it and never want to see me again, tell me something to refuse me, because if you don't say something soon..."

Ranma gave a sharp intake of breath as Ryoga's hands slipped from her shoulders to her back, pressing her athletic body against his more muscular form. 'Wait!' Ranma thought in a sudden panic. 'Those were different visions! They were connected!?'

"...I won't give you another chance." Ryoga finished, as he brought his face down to hers, clearly moving in for a kiss.

Ranma brought her hands up to his chest, intending to push him away, thinking, 'He's still under the effects of the Love Pill. I don't want him to kiss me because of that!' Then it hit her. She did not want him to kiss her because of magic... did that mean she wanted it to actually be him? The hesitation gave Ryoga the opportunity to close the distance, however.

And then his lips were on hers.

This was not Ranma's first kiss, even with a guy. So, Ranma could not help but compare it to previous experiences. The kiss from Shampoo had been eager, the girl herself soft in all the right places and just enough muscle on her athletic form. The kiss with Akane was a complete blank, thanks to the Nekoken. The kiss forced on her by Sanzenin was something Ranma would sooner forget, the mere knowledge of who it was that was kissing her making it a scarring experience, even without the grabbing hands and sickly sweet cologne.

In this case, the knowledge of who it was only kept Ranma too stunned to stop it. Like everything else Ryoga did, his kiss was full of passion and determination. The muscles on his chest could be felt clearly beneath his shirt, and Ranma's hands soon found something better to do than push him away, as she realized just how different his form was, even compared to her male form. Ranma had trained for speed, giving a leaner build, while Ryoga's form made clear his emphasis on power.

All this went through Ranma's mind in a moment. As Ryoga's tongue slipped into her mouth, Ranma's hands tightened, gripping his shirt. A moment later, Ranma pushed herself up on her toes, instinctively refusing to let him take the lead, or at least to keep it. A moment after that, Ranma's eyes widened as she realized what she was doing.

And so, as the sun set, Ryoga found his memories of the last day rather fuzzy. As he pulled back from the girl he was kissing he had just enough time to recognized the redhead in his arms before her fist met his face.

* * *

 **AN:** There we go! You know, despite how long I've been writing for the pair, I think this is the first Ranma x Ryoga story I've written that has actually gotten to a kissing scene...

Again, I apologize for the wait on this chapter, but life has been quite busy of late. If you want to help me have more time to write, consider supporting me. FFN does not allow direct links, but PM me if you are interested. My fanfiction will always be free, but the less time I'm working, then the more time I'm writing!

Will Ranma and Ryoga really be able to go back to their usual relationship after this? What will Nabiki do with the information she learned? Find out in future chapters of 'Yearning'!


	6. Ch 6: Just a little change

**Yearning**

 **AN:** Here we go! How am I still updating this so frequently? Who knows!

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

Ranma yawned as he headed down the stairs. To his surprise, when he reached the living room, it was empty except for Nabiki, who was engrossed in reading what looked like a college-level textbook. "Hey, Nabiki, where is everyone?" Ranma asked.

Leaning back from her book, Nabiki looked over at him as she explained, "Akane went out with some friends and Kasumi headed out to do some shopping. She left breakfast in the fridge. Grandfather Happosai left town to find new additions to his 'collection', so our fathers are out celebrating, probably at the cheapest bar they can find." Her lips twisted into a smirk as she added, "So, we've got the place all to ourselves, Saotome. Just the two of us. Of course, if you want to take advantage of that, I'll have to charge by the hour."

Ranma rolled his eyes, not daring to try and figure out if she was serious or just teasing, and replied, "I doubt I could afford it, anyway, without having ta sell a limb." Ranma turned towards the kitchen to satisfy his hunger as-

* * *

-she heard a familiar voice call her name from the front entry. smiling, Ranma grabbed what she had prepared, and quickly got changed before heading down to the first floor of the Hibiki residence.

"Ranma! Are you here!?" Ryoga called out as she descended the stairs. "I'm pretty sure this is the right house, since my key worked. I guess it'd be just my luck that she'd be out when I got... back..." He trailed off as he noticed the redhead, and saw what she was wearing... or rather, what she was not.

Wearing nothing but an apron, Ranma sashayed up to the Lost Boy, unable to suppress a grin at the familiar thrill his reactions always gave her. Pressing herself up against him, she asked with a coy expression, "Welcome home! Do you want a dinner, a bath, or...?" Yet, Ranma could not keep up the act, as her grin sprang back in full force, "Ah, who'm I kidding? We both know there's no resisting this!" Ranma accompanied her words by grabbing the stunned man's hands and placing one against her bare hip, and the other on her barely covered chest.

Ryoga shook his his head to clear it as he snapped out of his shock. Still seeing her in front of him, a hungry grin spread across his own face. "Damn, I knew there was something I missed, aside from your cooking."

Put on a coy expression once more, Ranma teased, "Well, if you're talking about sparring, I suppose I could go grab my gi and we could-"

Ryoga did not give her time to finish, tightening his grip on her voluptuous form as he spun them around and slammed her against the nearest wall. "I've got a different type of 'grappling' in mind."

Grin only returning at the rough treatment, the redhead wrapped her arms around his shoulders with a laugh. Closing her eyes, she brought her lips toward his while-

* * *

-Ranma staggered against the nearest wall, the blood draining from his face as he tried to process what he had just seen. 'W-What the Hell!? It's one thing ta see a vision involving a kid,' Ranma thought. 'It's another thing entirely ta experience _that!_ '

"Are you alright, Saotome?" Nabiki asked in confusion.

"Y-Yeah, just not feeling too good," Ranma replied with a forced smile. "I think... I think I'm gonna lay back down. Suddenly, I'm not hungry anymore."

As Ranma staggered back toward stairs, Nabiki narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she thought, 'Ranma never loses his appetite, and he was fine until a moment ago. I'd bet quite a bit that was another vision, and after everything he's been through, it must have been pretty shocking to shake him up that badly.' As Ranma reached the base of the stairs, Nabiki asked aloud, "So, what was the vision this time? I'd say that it looks like you just saw a ghost, but in your case, perhaps it would be better to say you look like you just saw a cat."

As Ranma glanced over his shoulder, ready to come up with some excuse, he hesitated as it occurred to him that after what Nabiki had overheard the last time the two of them were alone, she might be the only one he could possibly talk to about this.

Just as Nabiki was starting to get irritated with his silence, Ranma asked, "Hey, do ya think these visions are a curse 'cause I see one possible future that I'd hate, or because it shows me terrible things that I can't change?"

Nabiki pondered that for a moment before replying, "I suppose the only way to know that is to try and change them. I might be willing to help for the right price... but I'd need to know every detail, in that case."

Ranma frowned, saying, "And how much would it cost ta keep ya from selling that info? If this gets back ta my mom, the next date I'll have is with a katana."

Nabiki hesitated at that, before a clever idea came to her. With a smirk, she said, "How about this, if we manage to change a vision with absolute certainty that it won't happen, then we can talk numbers. If we can't, then you don't owe me anything, but I get to sell the info, since you'll have to deal with it anyway. How does that sound?"

That sounded like a good deal to Ranma. Suspiciously good, since it was coming from Nabiki, but Ranma knew he was going to go crazy if he did not find somebody to talk to about this. If Nabiki could actually help him fix the situation, that would be even better. "Alright, ya got yourself a deal," Ranma said.

Nabiki's grin widened. Not only would this deal keep her from having to pry the knowledge of each vision out of the martial artist, but she stood to profit even if she did nothing. And if she did manage to avert whatever horrible future Ranma had witnessed, then he had basically just written her a blank check. While easy money was nice, the idea of having a powerful and handsome martial artist at her beck and call until she left for university was certainly quite appealing. "So, Saotome," she asked, "what was this newest one about?"

Ranma could not help but hesitate again, and asked, "Ya sure there ain't anybody coming home soon?"

"Well, I _am_ sure that the longer you stall, the better the chances someone does," Nabiki replied, calmly taking a sip of water as she waited. After all, she knew time was on her side.

"Well, I was at Ryoga's place... and... apron..." Ranma trailed off in a mumble, his face flushing at the memory.

"Sorry, what about an apron?" Nabiki asked.

Deciding it was even worse thinking about, let alone talking about, the vision as a male, Ranma snatched the cup from Nabiki's hand and upended it over his own head, triggering his curse. Deciding to get it over with, Ranma squeezed her eyes closed and blurted out, "Ryoga-came-back-and-I-greeted-him-in-nothing-but-an-apron!"

"...Oh," Nabiki replied, certainly not having expected that. As her brain started working again, she asked, "Could this have been another one of your tricks? You never did seem to hesitate to show some skin when you needed something from him."

"No, he called me by name and..." Ranma trailed off as her face approached the same shade of red as her hair. However, she had come this far, so she forced herself to continue. "And if it had just been a trick, I wouldn't have let things get so far."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow at that and asked, "How far are we talking, here?"

"If the vision had lasted any longer, clothes probably woulda come off, and I didn't have a lot ta spare," Ranma replied. Needing to change the subject, she asked, "How the Hell is knowing that gonna help ya change this?"

"It probably won't, but do you really want to take that chance?" She asked rhetorically. "Were you female in the vision? How old were the two of you?"

"Yeah, and we didn't look much different, so it probably wasn't more than a year from now," Ranma replied, relaxing as Nabiki asked less embarrassing questions.

Nabiki frowned in thought for a moment, picking her book back up and paging through it a few times until she found what she was looking for. As she did, Ranma finally got a clear look at the book's title, 'Developmental Psychology 101'. Ranma wondered why she would be reading something like that, but before she could ask, the mercenary girl spoke up once more.

"Saotome, did you know that it is actually fairly common for a person's first crush to be on someone the same gender as them, even among those who end up preferring a romantic partner of the opposite gender later in life?" Nabiki asked.

"R-Really!?" Ranma exclaimed, as an unexpected wave of relief washed over her.

"Yes. 'Although while not necessarily indicative of gender, childhood crushes do tend to share defining characteristics with those we find romantically appealing as adults,'" Nabiki said, before she snapped the book shut again, and turned to face the redhead once more. "So, the way I see it, the reason you weren't able to stop these visions on your own may have been because part of you didn't want actually want to. Am I wrong? And remember, Saotome, I can only help you if you're honest with me."

Ranma opened her mouth to protest that, but hesitated. Could she really say that Nabiki was wrong? After all, Ranma had known Ryoga was going to kiss her, but it still happened. She knew she could have slipped out of his grasp, or fought him off, or at least struggled. Ranma had blamed it on shock, but shock had not made her kiss him back, and it certainly had not made her enjoy it.

Ranma's silence spoke volumes to Nabiki... and it was just as telling to the person that had overheard the end of their conversation.

As the person who had been eavesdropping hurried out of the house, she decided to return later, once she had sorted out her own thoughts, and pretend like she had heard nothing. For now, she could think of only two words to say to express her shock at what was said.

"Oh my..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Ryoga was more lost than ever. Since the day he had left Nerima, there had been little to distract him from the memories of that last day there. He wandered aimlessly, as his own words cycled through his mind. Ryoga knew he could never show his face in Nerima again, not after revealing to Ranma a secret he had buried so deep he had not even admitted it to himself until the magic of the Love Pill made him vocalize it.

He was obsessed with Ranma, and at least part of it had nothing to do with revenge. Perhaps the only thing more haunting than his own admission was the feeling of Ranma's lips pressed against his own.

Shaking his head to clear it, Ryoga spotted a figure tending to a large pig on what he figured to be a farm he was passing. Calling out, he asked, "Excuse me, but can you possibly tell me where I am?"

The figure looked in his direction, as she called out, "Ryoga, is that you?"

Ryoga blinked in surprise, as he asked in turn, "What are you doing in Bolivia, Akari?"

* * *

 **AN:** There we go! This chapter's vision was a bit racy, but nothing beyond PG-13, I don't think.

How will Akari's return affect the budding romance? Who overheard Ranma and Nabiki's discussion? Find out in future chapters of 'Yearning'!


End file.
